In this episode of the Qiestion, Paul and Graham explore what makes some people good at making decisions, while others can be a bit more hit-and-miss. We make thousands of decisions every day, from complex leadership decisions that impact our future and the future of others, right through to having that second biscuit with your tea!

Good decision-making requires a rational approach, as while our instincts can sometimes serve us well, more often than not they lead us to prioritise our immediate needs, overlooking longer-term considerations and consequences. Decision-Making Competence considers six areas that the best decision makers master, and Paul and Graham discuss how all of us can get better in each of these areas.

In another of our revisited episodes, Ricky looks back on Podcast 133, where he and Paul explore the idea of having a 'bad boss' and how sometimes this is more about the perception of the manager's style than about the manager's capability.

Ricky asks us to differentiate between toxic behaviours (which are not as common as many people think) and one of the more common perspectives: the boss is just being tough yet reasonable, or the boss is just a little disorganised, leading to ambiguity.

What if the real reason your deal is stuck… isn't the customer?

In this episode, Ricky and Paul challenge a common assumption in sales: that stakeholder mapping is only about the external buying group. In reality, misalignment often starts internally.

We explore why progress slows when:

• Internal agendas aren't understood

• Assumptions replace real relationships

• Stakeholder mapping is done superficially — or not at all

You'll see how effective stakeholder mapping goes beyond boxes on a slide and becomes a strategic alignment tool.